1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roof assembly including a roof part, a roof kinematic system movably coupling the roof part to a vehicle such that the roof part is movable between end positions, and a transmission kinematic system arranged to improve the leverage in lifting the roof part from one end position and in slowing movement of the roof part as the roof part reaches the other end position.
2. Background Art
DE 101 16 094 A1 describes a roof assembly having a multi-part roof, a roof kinematic system, and a transmission kinematic system. The roof kinematic system movably couples the roof to a vehicle such that the roof is movable between a closed position in which the roof covers the interior of the vehicle and a storage position in which the roof is folded and stored in a rear compartment of the vehicle. The transmission kinematic system is arranged to improve leverage in the two end positions (i.e., the closed and storage positions) such that the roof can be lifted with a small force against the weight of the roof parts from either end position and such that the movement of the roof as the roof nears the opposite end position is slowed to achieve a shock-free landing. The transmission kinematic system has connecting rods and levers which entail a relatively high production cost and a relatively large amount of space.